Hillary Clinton sounds the call against a Barack Obama $$ blitz

Money is the root of all (political) evil. Please send more of it.

That's the gist of Hillary Clinton's latest fundraising appeal to supporters. "With 14 days to go until the people of Pennsylvania vote, the (Barack) Obama campaign has decided to go all-out," she warns in the e-mail sent this morning. "They're trying to end the race for the White House with an unyielding media blitz. Right now, we're being outspent 4-1 on Pennsylvania television.

"So now, here's what we have to ask ourselves: Have we come this far in our history-making contest for the Democratic nomination only to see the race decided not by the quality of our ideas but by the size of our opponent's media budget?"

In one sense, she's absolutely right: Obama is outspending her campaign in Pennsylvania, on the strength of a record-breaking, more-than-$200 million fundraising haul that includes $40 million gathered in March. Clinton, on the other hand, has raised nearly $200 million herself this campaign.

And although it appears she trails Obama in available cash, her campaign coffers are healthy enough that today her campaign let loose with five new ads in Pennsylvania (which holds its closely watched primary in exactly two weeks).

The spots are tailored for different constituencies in the large state. As spelled out in a release from her campaign, they "highlight Hillary's ability to get the job done as president -- her commitment to jump-starting our economy, standing up for the middle class, and bringing quality, universal healthcare to all Americans. 'Nuestra Amiga,' a Spanish language ad, highlights Hillary's understanding of the Latino community and the problems it faces."

One of them features Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter explaining, in a few sentences, why he supports Clinton -- something black politicians in her corner increasingly have been called on to do, in the face of Obama's successes.

For more about each of the ads, go here.

-- Jim Tankersley and Don Frederick

Jim Tankersley writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau.

Comments

[suzyku]

I wish she would just be quiet and go away, crawl back into her deep, nasty hole!!

[KWinn]

The hypocrisy of Billary is astounding. Please take your lying, exaggerating behind somewhere and sit down before you ruin the whole Democratic party.

[Jon]

I hope Hillary stays in the race and wins Pennsylvania. I would love to vote for her in Nov but it doesnt look like that will happen. If the Dem party is destroyed with her staying in then so be it.

If Barack thinks he has it tough with the Clinton machine, wait until he has to run against the Republicans. The Republicans will make the Clintons' look like saints!!

[Dean]

Anyone who donates to her financially mis-managed campaign must be crazy, especially after knowing Bill and Hillary earned $109 million. If she wants it so bad, why don't the Clintons pony-up some of their money. They gave Mark Penn $12 million for bad advice, and even worst -- deceptive moonlighting.

She's not only trying to buy the Presidency, she's trying to do it without spending any of the blood money from the Clinton post 2000 windfall.

Go ahead Clintonistas, waste your money. She will lose PA and the nomination anyway.

[Robert NO longer in LA]

Whoa.. .shades of glib, duplicitous slick willie... which candidate has PROFITED soooo highly from sleazy, corrupt politics? Who pardons fugitive felons? Who has $106 million in earnings, has an effective 30% tax rate (on what we're ALLOWED to see...) and represents Wall Street thieves and RICO-types? Sure isn't Obama, is it Hillary?

[sweeetback]

the money these candidates are spending on their campaigns could feed a american family who have lost their home for decades!

[Matt]

I hope Barack Obama spends a billion dollars to make sure we are not subjected to the Clintons wrath of lies, secrecy and mismanagement. Let freedom shish shing!

[Redrum]

Hillary deserves some credit for taking on this diabolical
Obama machine funded by Rezko and consorts with the
full muscle of the hell's angels Illinois chapter, His net
campaign is essentially moove on org fanatics milking
the membership of lefty bums and sociopaths for as much
as the market will bare. How many of his brain dead fans
still believe he will live up to his promise of taking public
funds in the fall ?

[Erica]

Properly quoted, it's the love of money that is the root of all evil, not the money itself.

It is not Obama's responsibility to tailor his fundraising ability and buying power to match those of his opponent. When people frame this as buying an election, they are misrepresenting the purpose of campaign funds.

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Hillary is not receiving as much in donations as Obama because she is not the popular candidate. There are ferwer people who would support her candidacy . All the more reason to drop out.

[BIG WIG]

Desperation will cause you to lie, steal and rob.

Just throw in the towel woman and let the DEM Nominee do his job. W e are so sick and tired of your tricks. We could see right through you.

Bill= king liar
Hillary=queen liar
Chelsea= little liarness

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Hillary is not receiving as much in donations as Obama because she is not the popular candidate. There are ferwer people who would support her candidacy . All the more reason to drop out.

[Veejay]

YEAH!! Well said KWinn.

[Gerrrg]

It's pretty simple:

Pick who you want to win and vote. Then shut up (if you can't say positive things about your candidate).

Your sour criticism hurts the confidence of others with differing opinions, in your ability to stand on the same platform.

'Nuff said.

[Roxanne]

C'mon everyone...donate to Hillary so she can pay back the loan to herself!

OBAMA/WEBB '08

[Jim]

Thanks, Hillary. I just made another donation to the Obama campaign.

It's time to move beyond the Bushes and the Clintons, who have occupied the White House for far too long. Barack Obama has the vision, character, and ability to unite our country and bring the positive change we seek.

OBAMA '08 ... Yes We Can!

[oregon4obama]

she entered this month with over 8mil in debt, not including her loan to herself.....she will spend a ton in penn and have very little to spend in the next contests, she is on a crazy spending spree...

but here's a thought, her support is dwindling...she cant get a superdelegate to save her life, her donations have gone down significantly, in polls she's trailing in trust, her team is mud slinging every chance i.e. "wright would not have been my pastor", she will never get the delegate lead unless she wins all available contests by over 65%, Mich is not revoting and we dont know about FL.,

obama has, fans that have more websites, donation websites, fan power, media, print support, star support, endorsements, Union support....etc.....

How many signs does it take a person to step down gracefully......and support the OBVIOUS democratic choice for prez

[hinnis]

It is truly amazing that Hillary can do as well as she has, being outspent 4 to 1. It proves that no matter how hard he tries, Obama is having a hard time buying this election.

[Mike in PA]

It's brilliant. It's not only to get his name out but force Clinton to spend money, money she can't afford to spend. She needs this money for Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Draining her now will help him later as well.

[Fred Jones]

Why is Hillary still here?

[hinnis]

It is amazing to me that Hillary has done as well as she has, considering Obama is outspending her 4 to 1 in Pennsylvania. It just goes to show that Obama is having a hard time buying this election.

[Stephen Gianelli]

You need to update your polling information.

In Pennsylvania today, April 8, 2008, , two weeks to the vote, Hillary Clinton defeats Barack Obama 56% to 38%, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for WCAU-TV Philadelphia, KDKA-TV Pittsburgh, WHP-TV Harrisburg, and WNEP-TV Wilkes-Barre.

The results are almost identical to a SurveyUSA poll released one month ago.

Then, Clinton led by 19. Today, 18. In between, however, in a SurveyUSA tracking poll released last week, Obama had closed to within 12 points.

As Mitt Romeny recently learned, throwing money at the electorate will not buy the nomination.

[hinnis]

Why is Hillary still here?

[CC]

Billary, forever crying "POOR"

[hinnis]

Dear Moderators:
Do you censor all comments which support Hillary, or just most of them?